FLIPPED CLASSROOM STRATEGIES FOR

BAND DIRECTORS: STRENGTHENING MUSIC LITERACY, PERFORMANCE, AND ASSESSMENT

BY KANDIS KING TAYLOR

March 13, 2020, was a pivotal day for me, as I suspect it was for many teachers. I remember that day vividly. It was 12:30 PM when I walked into the faculty room, expecting to hear the babble of lunchtime chatter, only to find hushed silence. Over twenty teachers huddled around a single, open laptop in the middle of the table. A livestream sounded through tiny speakers as the governor announced school closures due to the Covid-19 global pandemic.

The next two days were a chaotic whirlwind of activity as administrators gathered teachers together to implement hastily prepared plans of action in a desperate attempt towards online learning. It didn’t help that someone in the meeting chastised the faculty, saying, “We’ve been telling you for years to start using Canvas,” which was our school’s learning management system. However, I didn’t know what a learning management system was then. I wasn’t using Canvas as a pedagogical tool for music teaching and learning. I didn’t even know my username and password! Until that point, in my mind, there was no room for technology in musicmaking, teaching, or learning. The magic of music was in creating and performing together. For years I maintained an instrumental music program producing happy students, happy parents, happy administrators, good recruitment, and even better retention. My students and I participated in every large-scale performing opportunity our state had to offer public school instrumental music ensembles; we participated often and performed well. I was doing my job, right? What else was there?

That all changed on March 13, 2020.

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Kandis King Taylor began her career by earning a Bachelor’s degree in Instrumental Music Education and a Master’s degree in Percussion Performance from Brigham Young University. In 2023, she completed a Ph.D. in Music Education at the University of Utah. Her research interests focus on educational technology as a tool for music learning and best practices for building pedagogical efficacy using technology in aspiring music educators. She has presented professionally, both nationally and internationally, on these topics. Kandis serves as the Director of Percussion Studies at Snow College in Ephraim, UT. She has over 17 years of experience teaching, directing, and adjudicating junior high and high school concert bands, jazz bands, and percussion ensembles in California and Utah. While teaching in California, she received the "Teacher of the Year" award in 2015. She received the 2019 "Accent in Excellence" Award from the Alpine School District as Director of Bands & Percussion Ensembles at Lakeridge Junior High in Orem, Utah. When she isn't teaching college or public school, Kandis composes music and has several compositions published through C. Alan Publications. Kandis loves her little family and lives with her husband and 7-year-old daughter in Utah.

When the Covid-19 pandemic hit the United States, schools were compelled to move to online learning formats. At that time, I was a 15-year veteran teacher, someone experienced in handling the challenges of educating young people. However, I was devastated and disappointed in my lack of technological knowledge; the worst part was that my ignorance was at the expense of my student’s education. I remember sifting through vast amounts of emails and digital tools from industry leaders, generously offering subscriptionfree tools to support teachers during a difficult time. Which digital tool should I use? How do I use it? What aspect of music learning am I using it for? Will it help my students in their musical development? Those questions remained on an endless replay in my mind.

A week later, a colleague of mine serendipitously reached out to see how I was handling the mass migration to online learning. I expressed my frustrations as a new Canvas user. He informed me that his son and daughter-in-law, both of whom were undergraduates at a nearby university, were home due to school closures and might be able to offer their assistance. Graciously agreeing to the offer, they immediately masked up and came over to my house. These two undergraduates provided me with a wealth of advice and techniques to create a Canvas space that was clear, organized, and user-friendly. Their perspectives were invaluable as I made necessary adjustments to communicate educational information digitally. From that point, I was able to make it through the next several weeks.

A great irony occurred at the conclusion of the school year. Our school administrators, seeking feedback to enhance distance learning strategies and streamline Canvas practices, issued a survey to parents and students aimed at identifying the teachers who provided the most constructive online learning activities and the attributes that increased the accessibility of their Canvas courses. To my great astonishment, my name appeared near the top of the list! The perspectives of my colleagues improved my practice, which ultimately improved the online learning experiences for my students and parents.

I made a personal commitment to continue learning and adjusting to the obviously changing educational landscape. As a result, I enrolled in multiple online professional development classes offered by my school district, most of which centered on technology-integrated pedagogies in education. This marked the first time I had heard about the flipped classroom model of blended learning. Intrigued by the potential of flipped classrooms, I was motivated to explore avenues for integrating this model into instrumental music education, which led me to a research trajectory centering on the use of technology as a tool for music teaching and learning.

WHAT IS FLIPPED CLASSROOM?

Blended learning refers to an educational approach that combines traditional face-to-face classroom instruction with online learning activities and technological resources. The result is a hybrid learning environment, ultimately providing flexibility, customization, and collaborative opportunities to enhance student learning. Flipped classroom is an instructional approach within blended learning where students are required to prepare for in-class activities by viewing online supportive video resources or readings before class (Bergmann & Sams, 2012), then participating in collaborative learning group projects during class time. One compelling aspect of the flipped classroom approach is how seamlessly it aligns with band instruction. When I first encountered this concept, it immediately resonated with me, as it resembled the typical directive given by band directors from their podiums: “Go home, practice, and come to class prepared for rehearsal.”

For more than a decade, the flipped classroom model of instruction has existed and has undergone extensive research in various facets of education. Researchers have suggested a positive correlation between the flipped classroom model of blended learning and increased student engagement (Unruh et al., 2016). Furthermore, effective technology implementation can enhance student music achievement (Bauer, 2013) and improve motivation (Pendergast, 202: Yoshida, 2016).

By delivering content outside of traditional classroom settings, band directors can personalize instruction using digital tools (websites, apps, etc.), empowering students to advance according to their individual pace. Within the flipped classroom framework, band students have the opportunity to acquire essential knowledge of music literacy (terminology, note names, etc.) through independent activities conducted outside of class.

In reference to Bloom’s Taxonomy (Bloom, 1956), activities involving lower levels of learning, such as memorizing, recalling, and identifying basic concepts of music, occur outside of class. Outside of the class setting, students can utilize online platforms to exhibit their mastery and access additional remedial resources and support as needed. During class, students can engage in more advanced levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy, such as demonstrating technical proficiency on their instrument, analyzing musical themes in performance music, or creating new musical compositions. Students come to the band room prepared to engage in music-making at an elevated and more meaningful level. By moving the teaching of fundamental course content associated with the lower levels of Bloom’s taxonomy pyramid beyond the classroom, valuable rehearsal time becomes available to emphasize essential aspects such as tone production, balance, blend, and musical expression.

WHY DOES TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION MATTER?

The evolution of technology has transformed the definition of educational literacy within the American public school system. Because modern society and industry demand technological literacy, school districts require time and effort from teachers to acquire practical application skills in using hardware and software as a tool for teaching and learning.

In response to the increasing saturation of technology prevalent in daily American life, the United States Department of Education aligned technology use with educational goals by creating the National Education Technology Plan (NETP, 2017). This flagship policy centered on incorporating new developments in educational technology (Rochelle et al., 2000). The pervasive influence of technology in daily life requires a task force of teachers equipped to meet increasing national education standards and expectations to utilize technology effectively for teaching and learning.

The technological component of flipped classroom approaches frequently incorporates learning analytics and data tracking, allowing music educators to actively track student progress, identify areas for improvement, and provide targeted support and feedback at each stage of musical development. In reality, students have a multitude of resources, such as instructors, peers, method books, online platforms, and mobile apps to aid them in their music learning. By employing flipped classroom strategies, students can be inspired and motivated to make the most of these resources, thereby enhancing their overall musicianship.

WHAT DOES A FLIPPED BAND ROOM LOOK LIKE?

The next portion of this article presents a variety of flipped classroom strategies specifically tailored to band instruction, focusing on three essential areas: musical literacy, performance, and assessment. In each category, a scenario will be presented to illustrate how the implementation of flipped classroom method can enrich the learning experience for that particular context.

Getting Started.

Adopting a flipped classroom approach might appear overwhelming at first. As band directors, the performance calendar weighs heavy on our minds as the clock continues to tick. As such, our rehearsals occupy almost the entirety of our class time. After all, the nature of our discipline revolves around the frequent demonstration of musical comprehension occurring in public settings! In such circumstances, is there any room for additional pursuits?

Begin with the end in mind. Start small. Don’t try to flip a year’s worth of curriculum for all of your classes! Begin with one class, one unit, one fundamental topic, or one song selection, and ask yourself what you want students to know. Start with a clear vision of the desired outcome. From that point, backwards design the learning process. Determine which musical learning activities can be assigned as outside-of-class tasks, utilizing your school’s learning management system (such as Canvas or Google Classroom) or possibly hosted on your personally designed course website. Next, identify the activities that will take place during class time while considering how they align with and complement the preparations for performances.

Educate all stakeholders regarding your efforts to innovate.

You may need to generate buy-in when it comes to flipping your classes. After all, we’ve been teaching music in a similar fashion for hundreds of years! Approach the process as “educating” rather than “convincing” stakeholders about the importance of innovation.

Be prepared to clearly articulate your vision for enhanced learning, outline the process itself, and, most importantly, demonstrate how it can strengthen student learning and musicianship. Guide students, parents, and administrators to recognize that the realm of music and music-making is vast, exciting, and dynamic. Emphasize the presence of alternative avenues of learning that have the potential to elevate their overall musical performance and expression.

Establish rigor, not busy work. Students must understand the purpose behind each learning activity. Ensure that learning objectives are meaningful and deliberate. Take the time to review your objectives and ensure that each one aligns directly with the overarching goals of your band program. Set clear expectations for students as well as what they can expect from you. Students must recognize the importance of completing the assigned outof-class tasks and understand the need for accountability so they come to class prepared and ready to engage with the material. Just as we ask our students to bring their best to our rehearsals, we must also ensure that we uphold the same level of accountability by designing meaningful learning experiences both within and beyond the band room.

Flipped Classroom And Music Literacy

Scenario #1: Building foundational note-reading skills in a beginning band class during the first month of the school year. In this scenario, your objective is for students to learn all the note names on the staff in either treble clef, bass clef, or both. Several free, web-based resources are available to help students master the fundamental principles of music (see a list of resources included at the end of this article). A certain level of musical learning involves the memorization of information. Beginning music students face the task of acquiring a substantial amount of terminology as they embark on their journey toward music literacy.

To incorporate flipped learning into this portion of your curriculum, begin by creating a short (5-minute) video explaining the staff, using already available websites such as the lesson portion of www. musictheory.net or tutorials from www.teoria.com. Record yourself and your screen using platforms such as Screencastify or Loom. Find out what school district or campus supported solutions for screen recording are available in your area. In your video, include simple instructions on how students access the next portion of the learning activity where they practice or apply their understanding of the

Next, create an assignment within your school’s learning management system (LMS) that directs students to a website such as https://musicracer.com. This free, web-based tool enables students to practice note reading and instrument fingerings in a gamified manner. Subsequently, students complete an online quiz housed on the LMS, assessing their understanding of note names. Allow unlimited access to the quiz, allowing students to engage in repetitive note-reading drills until they attain the desired level of understanding, such as a score of 90% or higher. Equipped with a basic understanding of the staff, students come to class prepared to begin connecting note names, fingerings, and sound production.

Flipped Classroom And Performance Preparation

Scenario #2: An advanced-level high school band preparing for the festival season. I have often heard colleagues express, “All I want is for students to learn their parts! I don’t care about anything else. I just want them to practice and be ready for rehearsal!” I agree with them. I also want students to come to rehearsal prepared. However, I realized long ago that one reason why bands can fall short of achieving mature levels of expression is because they lack an understanding of the music’s origin or nuance, there are gaps in their comprehension of certain musical fundamentals, or they are deficient in their sound concept. highlighting melodies and countermelodies, which allows students the opportunity in rehearsal to hear and emphasize specific parts during the performance. Design an assignment where students listen to the United States Marine Band’s rendition of The Washington Post and compare it with their arrangement, allowing them to develop a “sound concept” of their festival piece. Consider the potential of this approach.

Suppose your band is preparing to perform an arrangement of John Phillip Sousa’s The Washington Post. (This approach can be applied to any song selection, style, or composer. The following is merely an illustration, a template for further exploration.)

To help students grasp the context and execute the music as intended, create a unit titled, for example, “The Golden Age of the Band (1880-1920)”. Begin by developing brief, five-minute videos exploring Sousa’s life as a bandmaster and renowned composer, as well as his involvement in military music. This can lead to wider discussions on historical and contemporary civic topics or fostering a respect for military service. Share details regarding the origin of the composition. For example, The Washington Post was a commission from its namesake newspaper as a way to celebrate an 1889 student essay contest. Engage students with accountability questions that explore how Sousa’s music is equivalent to today’s popular music and how each reflects societal values.

I am guilty of expecting students to play at a heightened level of musicality while failing to provide them with ample opportunities to derive musical inspiration. By providing students with a deeper understanding of the music’s origin, resources for improved technical proficiency, and musical examples to cultivate a refined sense of sound, they can enter the band room with knowledge that extends beyond notes on the page. Consequently, rehearsal can concentrate on exploring deeper levels of understanding, fueled by the infused vitality that students bring into their performance.

Flipped Classroom And Assessment

Your next video could discuss the musical form of the piece,

Scenario #3: Addressing knowledge gaps in a Freshman/Sophomore level concert band and fostering growth among all players. As band directors, our focus lies in elevating the collective ability of the group. A crucial question we face is, “How can we enhance the skills of our least experienced players? How do we effectively address knowledge gaps across all our musicians?” the subjectivity of music-making. By utilizing technology tools and assessments, you can accurately gauge when your students are ready to move on or if they require additional support.

By incorporating flipped classroom methods in your band instruction, you can leverage the power of technology to enable students to create video portfolios showcasing their playing tests and performance selections. Utilizing digital platforms such as Flipgrid or an unlisted YouTube channel, students can witness their progress and growth throughout the school year. Alongside the portfolio, students can engage in online written assignments, reflecting on their improvements and actively addressing their personal playing challenges. This approach empowers students to take ownership of their musical development by analyzing their abilities over time and applying critical thinking to determine their next steps. Alongside the guidance of the teacher, students actively participate in their assessment process, assuming an engaged role in evaluating their musical development.

The implementation of flipped classroom methods facilitates not only data-driven instruction but also removes much of the uncertainty in both the assessment process and

Navigating Issues With Flipped Classroom

Accountability

Ensuring participation in outside-ofclass activities is crucial to student success in a flipped classroom setting. Educating students about the expectations, digital tools, and accessing resources will be essential. Conducting a questionnaire at the beginning of the school year can offer valuable insights into students’ technological access and help devise appropriate plans for their success. By defining teacher instructions, expectations, and assignments and providing timely feedback, students will understand the importance of being prepared. Incorporating short quizzes or assignments the following day to reinforce the online lesson can further reinforce the expectation and motivate students to come to class prepared.

Access to Technological Resource

Teachers play a crucial role in helping students overcome the digital divide. To cultivate equitable learning experiences for all, teachers can provide opportunities for students to engage with educational technology even if they don’t have internet access at home. Teachers can guide students towards technology resources within the school environment and during school hours. Exploring educational apps that offer offline functionality or allow content to be downloaded may also engage students with educational content even without internet access. Teachers can collaborate with school administrators and community organizations to secure funding for technology resources, internet access, and digital literacy programs. Furthermore, teachers can also encourage students to explore community resources such as public libraries, community centers, or after-school programs that provide internet access and technology resources can enhance their access to educational technology.

Developing a digital toolbox

Including technological tools can supplement the music learning process to enhance musical achievement (Bauer, 2020). Integrating technology in the music learning process should be viewed through the lens of a metaphorical museum curator. Burns (2021) suggested that museum curators orchestrate displays and select only artifacts that present a cohesive story. Curators select pieces (digital tools) to feature in an upcoming exhibit (learning objective), organize a clear pathway in telling a story (developing a musical skill) and prioritize what appears on the walls in a specific order (curriculum design). It is not necessary to present all artifacts in a museum simultaneously. Similarly, overwhelming students with numerous digital tools at once is not recommended or efficacious. Curating digital content and connecting digital resources to learning objectives requires heightened pedagogical knowledge and skills.

Flipped Classroom Strategies for Band Directors ... Kandis King Taylor, cont.

Conclusion

The flipped classroom model optimizes class time, enriches learning experiences for individuals and groups, enhances collaborative music-making opportunities, and offers learners enhanced visual and auditory resources through online materials. The inclusion of educational technology, such as websites, apps, and software, can supplement music literacy and enhance the artistic development of creating, performing, and responding to music. The implementation of flipped classroom strategies not only provides students with valuable resources but also serves as a source of inspiration and motivation, empowering them to maximize their learning and elevate their musicianship.

Rhythm

The Rhythm Randomizer www.rhythmrandomizer.com

Rhythm Trainer www.therhythmtrainer.com

Note Reading

Name That Note (Staff Only) www.richmanmusicschool.com/ products/name-that-note

Flash Notes (Staff and Keyboard) www.pedaplus.com/games/fnk

Note Names/Music Terms/fingerings https://musicracer.com

Sight Reading

Sheet Music Generator www.randomsheetmusic.com

Ear Training

Ear Beater www.earbeater.com

Picardy https://picardylearning.com/demo/

Tools for Instrument Technical Proficiency

Metronome Online www.metronomeonline.com/

Music Speed Changer https://app.musicspeedchanger.com/

Draw Music http://drawmusic.com/musictheory/intro

MusicTheory.net https://www.musictheory.net/

Composition/Creativity

Chrome Music Lab https://musiclab. chromeexperiments.com/

World Music

Folk Cloud https://folkcloud.com/

Rock History

Teach Rock https://teachrock.org/units/

References

Bauer, W. (2020).

Music learning today: Digital pedagogy for creating, performing, and responding to music (2nd ed.). Oxford University Press.

Bauer, W. I. (2013).

The acquisition of musical technological pedagogical and content knowledge. Journal of Music Teacher Education, 22(2), 51–64.

Bergmann, J., & Sams, A. (2012).

Flip your classroom: Reaching every student in every class every day (1st ed.). International Society for Technology in Education.

Bloom, B. S. (1956).

Music Theory

WEB-BASED RESOURCES

The list below contains free online resources organized by music fundamentals.

Teoria https://www.teoria.com https://tech.ed.gov/netp/ https://doi.org/10.2307/1602690 https://doi.org/10.1080/07380569.2016.1139988 https://doi.org/10.7763/ijiet.2016.v6.727

Taxonomy of educational objectives, handbook 1: The cognitive domain (1st ed.). New York: David McKay Co. Inc.

National Education Technology Plan. (2016, January 1).

Reimagining the role of technology in education: 2017 National education technology plan update Office of Educational Technology.

Pendergast, S. (2020). Understanding participation in secondary music classes: A literature review. Update: Applications of Research in Music Education, 39(1), 38–49.

Rochelle, J. M., Pea, R. D., Hoadley, C. M., Gordin, D. N., & Means, B. M. (2000). Changing how and what children learn in school with computer-based technologies. The Future of Children, 10(2), 76–101.

Unruh, T., Peters, M., & Willis, J. (2016). Flip this classroom: A comparative study. Computers in the Schools, 33(1), 38–58.

Yoshida, H. (2016).

Perceived usefulness of “flipped learning” on instructional design for elementary and secondary education: With focus on pre-service teacher education. International Journal of Information and Education Technology, 6(6), 430–434.